Keys to the Game for No. 7 Ohio State Buckeyes, No. 9 Missouri Tigers in 2023 Cotton Bowl

The Ohio State Buckeyes must utilize their inexperienced talent, while the Missouri Tigers must control themselves and not out-play the moment.

Just two days remain before the No. 7 Ohio State Buckeyes and No. 9 Missouri Tigers meet in Arlington, Texas for the 2023 Goodyear Cotton Bowl.

The Buckeyes and Tigers will each be looking to come away with a victory on one of the biggest stages in the sport.

However, each must do different things in order to achieve that goal. Here are the keys to the game for both Ohio State and Missouri ahead of both teams' final game of the 2023 season.

OHIO STATE BUCKEYES

The Buckeyes will be without several of their usual starters on Friday against the Tigers. Players like quarterback Kyle McCord and Chip Trayanum have departed to the seemingly greener pastures of Syracuse and Kentucky (respectively), while running back Miyan Williams announced he will forgo the Cotton Bowl to prepare for the 2024 NFL Draft.

These notable absences have left holes in some key positions, which Ohio State has filled with some of their younger players. Sophomore quarterback Devin Brown will lead the offense from behind center in the first start of his career, while freshmen receivers Carnell Tate, Noah Rogers and Brandon Inniss will be looked to to carry a majority of the passing load.

Luckily for Ohio State, Brown and the young receivers are more than capable of holding their own, at least on paper. The only thing left for the underclassmen, up-and-comers to do now is prove they are ready to perform under the bright lights that come with playing Buckeyes football.

MISSOURI TIGERS

Coach Eli Drinkwitz told reporters during his bowl-game press conference he was looking to Friday's game as a launching pad for the Missouri program. Drinkwitz wants to use the national attention his team will receive by playing in a historic bowl game against one of college football's "blue-blood" programs to give his guys the exposure he believes they deserve.

For Drinkwitz to be thinking of the game in this manner is absolutely fine, just as long as he doesn't over-hype it to his players. National exposure is a great thing unless you underperform, and a great way to do that is for players to get so-called "stage fright" at the size of the moment.

Drinkwitz and Missouri must both understand what a great performance in the Cotton Bowl could mean for their program's future, while also treating it as just another contest. This balance is difficult to achieve, but Drinkwitz is more than capable of achieving that equilibrium within his locker room.